Method and apparatus for affixing stamps on mail matter



Feb. 7,1928. 1,658,218

R. ADAMS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AFFIXING STAMPS ON MAIL MATTER FiledAuz. 21. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. I w BY A TTORNEY.

Feb. 7, 1928. 1,658,218

R. ADAMS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AFFIXING STAMPS 0N MAIL MATTER FiledAug. 21, 1924 4 sheets-shgei 2 I N VEN TOR. ya g W64 A TTORNEY.

Feb. 7, 1928,

1,658,218 R. ADAMES METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AFFIXING STAMPS ON MAILMATTER Filed Auz. 21, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.-

I ATTORNEY.

Feb. 7, 1928.,

R. ADAMS METHOD ANDAPPARATUS FOR AFFIXING STAMPS 0N MAIL MATTER FiledAug. 21, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 A TTORNE Y.

Patented Feb. 7, 1928.

UNITED STATES REED ADAMS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AFFIXING STAIVIPS ON MAIL IIEATTER.

Application filedAugust 21, 1924.

My invention relates to a method and ap paratus for aiiixingprecancelled stamps on matter to be mailed.

It is usual to send out mailing folders with their edges temporarilyfastened together, as for instance, by a clip, or by a precancelledstamp placed by hand so as to extendover the edges and adhere toopposite surfaces of the folders. A special n object of my invention isto apply a stamp to such folders so as to join the free edges of thesame so as to secure neatness, speed, andaccuracy and to employ in partexisting apparatus.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a side elevation of anapparatus embodying my invention and used in the performance thereof.

Fig. 2 is an end view to larger looking from the right of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the same, a portion being broken away.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line IV, IV, Fig. 8, looking in the directionof the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a. perspective view of a folder, the stamp being partly fixedin place.

Fig. ,6 is an inverted plan view of a clutch of a stamp-afiixing machinealtered to adapt the machine for use in my inveneo t-ion. I

Fig. 7 is a similar view of the unaltered clutch.

In Figures 6 and 7, 2 is the adjusting plate, 8 the fiat nut foradjusting screw, 4 clutch rollers, 5 clutch ring carrying rollers and 6is the clutch block. i

a, is a known machine for affixing stamps to envelopes or other mailingmatter. I have shown for illustration the apparatus known as themail-o-meter.

I adapt this to my purpose by lowering scale the platform, or track,along which the fold er passes to an extent that brings half the stampabove the upper edge of such folder, as shown in Fig; 5, in which Z) isa folder with the stamp 0 atlixed to the upper edge thereof andextending above said edge.

I also arrange theclutch as shown in Fig. 6 and extend the arcuate slotsas there shown so as to secure a greater range of adjustment forpositioning the stamp. I then adjust the clutch as shown in Fig. 6, sothat the stamp shall be placed midway between the end edges of themailing matter, as shown in Fig. 5.

Serial No. 733,382.

Fig. 7 shows the clutch as it isarranged for use with ordinary mailmatter so that the changes shown in Fig. 6 will be readily seen by thosefamiliar with the art.

. d, is the stacker plate and e is a cam act ing through an aperture inthe plate d to act upon the envelopes, or mail matter that has beendelivered from the machine 0.. This is called the stacker rubber.

a (Figs. 3 and 4), is a narrow groove in which the lower edge of thefolder, or mail matter, slides when it is delivered in a verticalposition from the machine in front of the stacker plate (Z in positionto be acted on by the cam, or rubber, 6.

At the place of delivery o'f'the machine a, at the stacker plate cl, Iput a laterally extending set of rolls, 7, f, f, (Fig. a), with afiarrier band, 7, extending around said re s.

F, is a roll located above the middle'one ofthe first mentioned rollsand carried in a movable bearing at each end of a transversely extendingyoke, f carried by pivoted levers, 7 which levers are pivoted to theupper end of a second pivoted lever, f f, is a spring acting toyieldingly' urge the arm, f in a direction to carry the roller, f towardthe roller, f, below the same.

f, is a roller above the outer end roller, f, of the first mentionedseries of rollers. This is also pressed yieldingly downward. f and f,are delivery rolls.

The rolls are actuated through a series of intermeshing tooth gears, f,(Fig. 2), with the. intermediate adjustable tooth gear, i IL, is a framework in which the above described rollers bear which is supported onadjustable arms, if, if, above the frame work,h

g, is an electric motor and j is a centrifugal fan, or blower.. 9*, is abelt wheel upon the shafts of one of the earings'supported in the frame,it, through which the various rollers are actuated. 5/ is a belt throughwhich the fan blade is actuated by the motor, g, and g is a belt bywhich said fan turns the wheel, 9*.

7c is a pipe through which the fan drives a current of air and 7c is ahorizontal portion of the pipe, 10, extendingparallel' and just abovethe edge of the stacker plate, (Z. Z1 is an aperture in the wall'of thehorizontally extending portion, of the pipe in, so located andconstructed as to throw a jet of air slantingly downward and outwardfrom the stacker plate (Z, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 4.

The operation of the above described apparatus is as follows The foldersare fed to the machine a at the left, as shown in Fig. 1, onv theplatform, or track, 04 in the usual way and in a ver tical position withunattached edges upward. Said machine being adjusted as above described,in the operation of the machine a stamp is moistened and affixed to thefolder as shown in Fig. 5, about half of the stamp extending above theupper edge of the folde" and midway between the two end edges thereof.The folder is then delivered with its lower edge in the groove a againstthe inner surface of the stacker plate d, and is acted on by the cam e,to inclfne it outward, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 4, said groovepreventing the lateral movement of its loweredge. This movement of thefolder brings it into the jet of air from the aperture which jet forcesit downward until the protruding portion of the stamp 0 strikes againstthe roller 7, (Fig.4), and is bent over thereby and until the lowersurface of the folder engages the carrier belt F. at the first of therollers f. Thus the stamp 0 is bent over and when the folder 5 comes incontact with the belt f above the first of the rollers f, it is carriedalong, thereby carrying the forward edge thereof and the stamp 0 underthe roller 7' which presses the protruding portion of said stamp uponthe then upper edge of the folder,'as shown at 0 (Fig. 4), so that thestamp adheres to opposite faces of the folder and unites the otherwisefree edge It is then delivered by the rollers f f.

This action is entirely continuous and automatic, only requiring thatthe mail matter should be supplied to the machine as above described.The folder is not only stamped, but the otherwise free edges are united,thus forming a compact and convenient piece for mailing.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a stamp-affixing machine adjusted to affix thestamp to one surface of folder with a port-ion of said.

stamp protruding beyond the edge thereof, and to deliver the folder in avertical position with a. stamp at the upper edge thereof, of means forcausing said folder to fall laterally turning about its lower edge,means interposed in the line of travel of the protruding portion of thestamp while the folder is falling, adapted to strike against saidprotruding portion of the stamp and bend it toward another surface ofsaid folder, and means for pressing the turned-over protruding portionof the stamp against said other surface of the folder.

2. In combination with a stamp-affixing machine adjusted to place thestamp upon one surface of a folder so as to'partly extend beyond theedge thereof and deliver the same in avertical position with a stamp atthe upper edge of said folder, conveying rollers at the delivery end ofsaid machine.

adapted to receive the folder and convey it at right angles to itsdirection of delivery to said machine, means for causing said folder toturn about its lower edge causing the protruding portion of said stampto strike against an object and bend over towards another surface ofsaid folder and to engage said conveying rollers to be carriedtherethrough, said rollers being adapted to press the turned-overportion of said stamp upon another surface of said folder.

in combination with a stamp-affixing machine adjusted to place the stampupon a folder so as to partly extend beyond the edge thereof and deliverthe same in-a vertical position with the stamp at the upper edge of saidfolder, conveying rollers at the delivery end of said machine adapted toreceive the folder, means for producing a jet of air adapted to causesaid folder to turn about its lower edge to engage said conveyingrollers and means for turning the protruding portion of the stamp overtoward another surface of the folder previous to its engagement withsaid rollers, said rollers being adapted to fix the stamp in itsbentover position. i

i. In combination with a stamp-affixing machine adjusted to place thestamp upon a folder so as to partly extend beyond the edge thereof anddeliver the same in avert-ical position with a stamp at the upper edgeof the folder, conveying rollers at the delivery end of said machineadapted to receive said folder, means for turning over the protrudingend of said stamp,'means for supplying a jet of air adapted to impelsaid folder toward said rollers to engagethe same, and a mechanicalmeans for actuating said folder so that it shall be engaged by said jetof air.

5. In combination with a stamp-affixing machine adjusted to place astamp upon one surface of the folder with a portion of itprotrudingabove the upper edge thereof,

said machine having a delivery groove and delivering said folder withits lower edge in said groove, an actuating device acting upon onesurface'of said folder to turn it in said groove, means for bending theprotruding portion of the stamp over and rollers adapted to receive saidfolder and to affix the stamp thereon in its bent-over position;

6. The method of affixing stamps to mailing folders so as to join thefree edges thereof, consisting in passing said folders through a. meansfor affixing the stamp to one surface of a folder with a. portion ofsaid stamp protruding beyond the edge of the folder which the edges arenot joined and turning the protruding. portion of the stamp over uponthe other surface of the folder thereby causing it to be fixed to thelast named surface.

7. The method of afiiiiing stamps to mailing folders so as to join thefree edges thereof, consisting in pa sing said folders through a meansfor afiixin the stamp to one surface of a folder with a. portion of saidstamp protruding beyond the edge of the folder at which the edges of thedifferent folds are not joined and turning the protruding portion of thestamp over upon the other surface of the folder by additional apparatusthereby causing it to be fixed to the last named surface.

S. The method of afiixing stamps to mailing folders so as to join thefree. edges thereof consisting in passing said folders through a meansfor affixing the stamp to one surface of a folder midway between theends of said folder witn a portion of said stamp protruding beyond theedge of the folder at which the edges of the different folds ar notjoined and turning the protruding portion of the stamp over upon theother surface of the folder by additional apparatus thereby causing itto be fixed to the last named surface.

9. in combination with means for affixing amps to a folder with aportion of said amp protruding beyond the edge thereof which the edgesof the different folds are not joined, of means for turning theprotruding portion of said stamp over the edge of said folder upon theother surface of said folder and fixing it in its turned-over position.

10. T he method of aiiixing stamps to mailin folders so as to seal thefree ed es thereof, consisting in aflixing one end of the stamp to onesurface of the folder with a portion said stamp protruding beyond theedge of the folder at which the edges of the different folds are notjoined, causig the folder to swing by gravity about a 'orizontai axisthereby causing the protrudng portion of the stamp to be turned subitiaily at right angles to the afixed porni and affixing the remainingedge of the :tainpto the rurface of the folder opposite that to whirhthe first end of the stamp Was attached.

in testimony whereof, I sign this specification.

REED ADAMS.

